Hey, James O’Keefe! I Want Credit!

The other day I shared some of the rude tweets I directed at Gawker’s John J Cook for doxxing lawful gun owners in New York City.  Here’s one I left out:

Btw, @johnjcook do you hang a sign outside of your front door guaranteeing that you are unarmed? inquiring minds and all that.
— Aaron Worthing (@AaronWorthing) January 8, 2013

And when I complained that prison officials learned that the prisoners were using the Journal News’ list to threaten their guards, I debated it with a one random person online saying this:

Btw I assume you put a sign outside your house tellingburglars you are unarmed, right? @homework_liker @virgiltexas
— Aaron Worthing (@AaronWorthing) January 8, 2013

And I had a similar debate with another person who defended the practice generally:

would you hang a sign outside your house declaring yourself to be unarmed? @dcslim @rmjw48 @nytjim @huffingtonpost #GUNCONTROLNOW #NoWayNRA
— Aaron Worthing (@AaronWorthing) December 29, 2012

So to my shock and horror, I see that James O’Keefe III has ripped me off!

Of course, I am joking.  Since he doesn’t follow my twitter feed, he probably has no idea I said it.  Besides, in my humble opinion it’s an obvious retort.

And constructive criticism, it is a legitimate answer for a guy in an apartment building like Touré appeared to say he wouldn’t put it up on the entire building without his neighbor’s consent.  I would have asked him to put it on his door.

Indeed, I would have worked in a few more rude questions.  Like here’s how I would work it.  First, I would say something like, “I mean when it comes to the use of force, only the police should have guns, right?”  Try to get him to agree to that.  And then maybe work in some recent story of police misconduct and say, acting like it is a genuine inquiry, “let me ask you.  As a black man, aren’t you concerned that if you or your lovely family are in danger that the police you might call on to protect ya’ll might be, you know, racist, and might not protect you as well as a white family?”

Yeah, maybe it would be a giveaway, or maybe he would think it is an actual question.  Either way the response might have been really good viewing.

Still either way it is good stuff.

In other news, you might remember that I have wondered from the beginning whether the greater effect of the Journal News’ doxxing would be to endanger gun owners or non-gun-owners.  Well, data is not the plural of anecdote, but this is worth noting (via Hot Air):

So that seems possibly related.  On the other hand, I think it will be hard to know, when they break into the houses of people who by process of elimination are identified as unarmed, whether they were using the list.  In this case the clear clue, that they went right at the gun safe, points toward a connection. But when they break into an unarmed house and they do the usual theft, how will you know the difference.

Still, why precisely it is irresponsible is beside the point.  It is simply irresponsible.

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Disclaimer:

I have accused some people, particularly Brett Kimberlin, of reprehensible conduct.  In some cases, the conduct is even criminal.  In all cases, the only justice I want is through the appropriate legal process—such as the criminal justice system.  I do not want to see vigilante violence against any person or any threat of such violence.  This kind of conduct is not only morally wrong, but it is counter-productive.

In the particular case of Brett Kimberlin, I do not want you to even contact him.  Do not call him.  Do not write him a letter.  Do not write him an email.  Do not text-message him.  Do not engage in any kind of directed communication.  I say this in part because under Maryland law, that can quickly become harassment and I don’t want that to happen to him.

And for that matter, don’t go on his property.  Don’t sneak around and try to photograph him.  Frankly try not to even be within his field of vision.  Your behavior could quickly cross the line into harassment in that way too (not to mention trespass and other concerns).

And do not contact his organizations, either.  And most of all, leave his family alone.

The only exception to all that is that if you are reporting on this, there is of course nothing wrong with contacting him for things like his official response to any stories you might report.  And even then if he tells you to stop contacting him, obey that request.  That this is a key element in making out a harassment claim under Maryland law—that a person asks you to stop and you refuse.

And let me say something else.  In my heart of hearts, I don’t believe that any person supporting me has done any of the above.  But if any of you have, stop it, and if you haven’t don’t start.